Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little

The end of summer is approaching. Before school starts again, Moxy Maxwell needs to do her summer reading and finish Stuart Little. Unfortunately, by the time August 23 rolls around, Moxy hasn't even started! And it's not that she hasn't tried to read this book; she and Stuart Little have been practically inseparable all summer. But she keeps finding other very important things to do instead, such as training her dog Mudd or planting a peach orchard that will finance her college education. But if Moxy doesn't get moving there will be "consequences" and Mom might not let her perform in her Daisy Petal Water Ballet. What's a girl to do?

Written by Peggy Gifford, this is a very sweet story about procrastination. Moxy is a very endearing character with a head full of clever ideas, and her antics kept me laughing. The story is very simple and will prove to be an easy read, but its presentation might complicate matters for those who have just learned to read and are moving into chapter books. Sometimes transitions are rather abrupt, and some of the artistry found in the story's format (chapters told in photos or with only a single sentence) may be lost on these new readers who often seek something more straightforward. However, for a reader who is ready to handle these challenges will likely find this to be a quick, breezy, enjoyable read.

Overall Grade: B+



If you're looking for more of Moxy Maxwell's adventures, you may also want to check out Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-You Notes. This is another tale of procrastination and zany ideas well in the same spirit as the first book.